Advances in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) applications over the last several decades have revolutionized the engineering industry. For example, engineers today leverage CAD applications to generate three-dimensional (“3D”) models of discrete parts and even complex assemblies which can be digitally rendered to convey information faster and more accurately than through conventional two-dimensional (“2D”) technical drawings. Some powerful CAD applications even enable engineers to animate 3D models by defining functional relationships between sub-objects (e.g., surfaces, solid revolves, solid embossments, etc.) of the 3D models and/or reference systems existing within a 3D modeling environment. Unfortunately, defining such functional relationships generally requires a deep understanding of how specific sub-objects and/or reference systems of the 3D models are mathematically defined (e.g., using a parametric modeling scheme) in whichever CAD application was used to generate the 3D model being animated.
Therefore, animating 3D models typically requires a highly specific skill set that is only gained through experience using these powerful CAD applications. Because some CAD applications are costly to obtain and cumbersome to learn, their use remains a very niche space such that only a relatively small portion of the overall population is capable of animating 3D models. Furthermore, some 3D animation technologies are limited to generating animations within the same CAD application used to create a 3D model. Although these animations can be recorded and saved as video files (e.g., an AVI file) to embed into a 2D workspace (e.g., a slide-deck type presentation), the output video files are static and cannot be dynamically modified within the 2D workspace. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.